adminNews out of Lagos yesterday morning is that former Super Eagles player Segun Odegbami has declared his desire to run for the Fifa presidency.
The only Nigerian named to Caf’s team of the century, Odegbami, fondly called Mr. Mathematical by both 3sc and Super Eagles fans, is a respected columnist on various football platforms in Nigeria including supersport.com as well as the owner of a football academy.
The 63-year-old is the second African to go for football’s top job, after Liberia’s Musa Bility though it is highly probable that others may join the fray. They all have until October 26 and must fulfil the prerequisite of having the backing of at least five Fifa members.
Odegbami has always stated that he believes Africa has to play a bigger role in world football and this may be his own honest contribution to make this a reality.
In Nigeria, Odegbami has never held a position with the NFF despite repeatedly throwing in his cap but never getting past the selection process from which he was actually disqualified in 2014.
Yet he still has quite a presence among the football fans making the pending response from the NFF and Caf itself quite interesting.
Caf has already in no uncertain terms refused to give Bility its blessing.
The main elections will be held on February 26, with Uefa chief Michel Platini and South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon among those to have already announced their bids.— Supersport.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu